CTM01- 7 Nights Machame Route

Pick up from Arusha town or Kilimanjaro International airport and transfer to your  hotel in Moshi town. Overnight at Keys Annex hotel/Bristol hotel on HB.

Breakfast at the hotel and to Machame Gate to register and begin the ascend of Mt. Kilimanjaro via Machame Route. Depending on the weather this can be a moderate to very demanding day as the trek winds through a beautifully lush rain forest. The distance is 10.8Km, over 1200m of elevation gain. Overnight at mountain tents at Machame  (3000m).

Trek from Machame Camp to Shira Camp (3847m) on southern edge of Shira Plateau. You start early, leaving the forest behind and climb a steep ridge for 3-4 hours. The path then drops into a gorgeous river gorge before you climb more gently up onto the moorland. The Shira plateau is all what remains of an older volcano that was engulfed when the much larger mount Kilimanjaro was formed. On clear days the views are absolutely breath-taking: a seemingly endless expanse of multi-colored heath to the gargantaum rim at the end of the plateau where billows of clouds melt down onto the palteau floor.  Overnight camping at Mountain tents at Shira (3840)

Breakfast.Trek from Shira Camp to Lava Tower (4642m). If the weather’s good you can ask your guide to guide you to the summit of the Lava Tower (4688m) where the views are excellent. Lunch is normally taken at the foot of the tower. Descend from Lava to Barranco Camp (3984m). Distance from Shira to Lava Tower is 7.0km. Distance from Lava Tower to Barranco is 3.7km. Arrive at camp, refresh and enjoy dinner prepared by your cook. Overnight camping at Mountain tents at Barranco (3950m).

Trek from Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp (4681m) for 6-7hours via the 257m high Breach Wall across the valley from Barranco. You should be aware that there are three rises and falls before reaching Karanga Camp where we have lunch at 4040m.We depart from Karanga and ascend 640m to Barafu. Distance from Barranco to Barafu is 9.4km. It is advantageous to have a mental image of today’s profile so you don’t get psyched-out by all the rise and fall: Overnight camping at Mountain tents at Barafu (4600m)

Around midnight (your guide will judge the time that is optimal for you based on your pace thus far) leave camp for the assault via Stella Point (5752m) to the summit. Tonight is very difficult – particularly the final 500m – and you’ll need to commit to fight for the summit. You will inevitably feel like giving up and going to sleep. This is normal and can be overcome with perseverance. When resting please ensure you only stand or sit and do not lie down or close your eyes. Please trust your guide; he is very adept at judging whether your condition will allow safe progress or whether you have succumbed to a potentially dangerous condition and to proceed will not be safe. Nausea and headaches are normal and around a quarter of climbers will vomit at or near Stella Point. While very uncomfortable, these are not symptoms that are indicative of being at risk, per se. The onset of cerebral and pulmonary oedema are marked by distinctive early warning symptoms that your guide is capable of identifying. Please maintain regular dialogue with him and frequently update him on how you are feeling.

When you reach Stella Point you will sit and rest. From Stella point you will encounter snow all the way on your 2-hour ascend to Uhuru Peak 5896. Uhuru peak provides a unique reward usually a plethora of emotions. If your progress has been good you can watch the sunrise from the rooftop of Africa! After sunrise, you will begin your return journey which is quite long. Take a brief respite at Barafu camp before descending all the way down to Mweka camp at 3100m. Overnight at Mweka Camp.

After breakfast descend through the lower heath section that quickly turns into rainforest. Your time on Mount Kilimanjaro ends at Kibololoni Gate where you will be met and transferred back to your hotel in Moshi town. Dinner and overnight at Keys Annex hotel or Bristol Hotel.

After breakfast transferback to Kilimanjaro airport or Arusha town.